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What Is Customer Advocacy?

Malcolm Tatum
Malcolm Tatum
Malcolm Tatum
Malcolm Tatum

Customer advocacy is a type of customer support and service that takes a slightly different approach to the task of communicating with and helping customers to resolve questions or concerns that may arise from time to time. As the name implies, customer advocacy provides the framework for making or advocating the case of a customer within a specific situation, providing that customer with someone within the provider’s organization that is focused on the best interests of that customer. This particular approach can make a significant difference in how customers are approached as well as make an impact on how the business goes about designing and executing various marketing strategies.

At the heart of the process of customer advocacy is the need to think proactively in terms of what is best for that customer. This is somewhat different from most approaches to customer service, which tend to be reactive in nature. With more traditional customer support services, the idea is usually to respond to a need or concern when it is presented by that client. In contrast, customer advocacy seeks to anticipate the needs and concerns of customers before they arise, and respond to those issues before they ever have a chance to affect the customer.

Customer advocacy puts the needs of the customer ahead of the needs of the company.
Customer advocacy puts the needs of the customer ahead of the needs of the company.

In order to engage in true customer advocacy, it is necessary to make the interests of the business secondary to the interests of the customer. Questions regarding what a customer would think, do, or say in a given situation are considered top priorities when designing new products, determining which marketing techniques and strategies to utilize, and even in how to structure business models for the companies involved. The idea is that by placing the customer first, the potential to engage in loyalty marketing that helps to minimize the chances of a competitor being able to lure a valued customer away is kept to a minimum.

Customer advocacy is proactive rather than reactive in nature.
Customer advocacy is proactive rather than reactive in nature.

Customer advocacy may also take place when a customer is inconvenienced in some manner. For example, if a crucial order of goods or services is delivered late, this will often have an adverse effect on both the customer’s ability to do business and in turn the relationship between the vendor and the client. In order to help overcome this situation, a customer advocate would help decision makers understand the enormity of the inconvenience experienced by the customer and what that delay in shipment and delivery meant in terms of losses to the customer. This creates a situation in which actions can be chosen that help to minimize the inconvenience to the customer as much as possible, and in turn increase the potential of repairing the relationship and keeping that customer for a little while longer.

Malcolm Tatum
Malcolm Tatum

After many years in the teleconferencing industry, Michael decided to embrace his passion for trivia, research, and writing by becoming a full-time freelance writer. Since then, he has contributed articles to a variety of print and online publications, including WiseGEEK, and his work has also appeared in poetry collections, devotional anthologies, and several newspapers. Malcolm’s other interests include collecting vinyl records, minor league baseball, and cycling.

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Malcolm Tatum
Malcolm Tatum

After many years in the teleconferencing industry, Michael decided to embrace his passion for trivia, research, and writing by becoming a full-time freelance writer. Since then, he has contributed articles to a variety of print and online publications, including WiseGEEK, and his work has also appeared in poetry collections, devotional anthologies, and several newspapers. Malcolm’s other interests include collecting vinyl records, minor league baseball, and cycling.

Learn more...

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    • Customer advocacy puts the needs of the customer ahead of the needs of the company.
      By: WavebreakMediaMicro
      Customer advocacy puts the needs of the customer ahead of the needs of the company.
    • Customer advocacy is proactive rather than reactive in nature.
      By: bertys30
      Customer advocacy is proactive rather than reactive in nature.
    • Customer advocacy may take place when a customer is inconvenience in some way.
      By: pressmaster
      Customer advocacy may take place when a customer is inconvenience in some way.
    • True customer advocacy involves making the needs of the customer primary to those of the business.
      By: Adam Gregor
      True customer advocacy involves making the needs of the customer primary to those of the business.